Penny Blood Serial Fiction — page 242: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ELIZABETH’S REFLECTIONS 225 married another; but was it not this latter marriage which was void? And was not the former one valid according to the laws of man? And then, too, her father, the Marquis of Eagledean, would he for a moment consent that she should contract another marriage, even though he might approve of the Spanish nobleman as a suitor and iorget the worst portion of his antecedents? These reflections were gloomy enough. But suddenly the light cf hope flashed in upon them. Had not her father enjoined that she should resume her maiden name of Elizabeth Paton? And in issuing this command was it not virtually and efiectually ignoring that former marriage? Was it not blotting out as much as possible the memory of that mock ceremony? Yes, it must be conjectured — it must likewise be hoped — that such was the idea which the Marquis of Eagledean had enter- tained when bidding his newly found daughter resume her maiden name. Did Elizabeth upon this occasion resolve to fulfil her promise speedily, and write to Count Christoval? No, she determined to wait a few days, —to examine still more minutely and deliberately into the condition of her heart. But this was not so easy as she at first fancied. She com- - posed her looks in such a manner that when Alice, her maid, entered the chamber to assist at the morning toilet, she saw not that there was anything peculiar on the part of her mistress; and throughout that day, too, did Elizabeth Paton §0 bear herself that neither her brother nor Adolphus observed aught unusual or different in her demeanour. The next day it was the same. But all this while there was a rapidly increasing love springing up in the soul of Elizabeth Paton. The spirit had gone forth over the hidden waters of her heart. They had sparkled and bubbled up quickly, — the springs of the fountain were opened, — and each fresh thought that they engendered gave a new impulse to their flow. Had she been ten years younger, she would have taken as many days — perhaps as many weeks — to com- prehend what love was, as now it required hours to endow her with its fullest experience. And thus, during these two days, she ielt a growing inclination to accord the handsome Spaniard the promised interview. The third day passed, and the struggle to restrain herself from penning the lines which should bring that interval about was maintained with CONNIE LDOOKS (EO)